Hog Island
Hog Island is a previous feature of the Paterson River on the Tocal property at Glendarra. In the colonial era it was a distinct island and remained so into the 1960s, although by that time the eastern channel was very small and filled with fallen logs and willows.[1] Today the eastern channel is completely silted and there is no longer an island. The only remaining evidence of the island is a thickening of the river and surrounding vegetation as shown in the photograph below.
The historic significance of Hog Island stems from an incident in 1843 when two Aboriginal fugitives from the law, Harry and Melville, wanted in relation to murders at Glendon and Bulwarra, took refuge on the Island where they were besieged by police. Harry and Melville surrendered after a battle lasting nearly an hour.[2]
Above: previous location of Hog Island (circled) in the river at Glendarra. The Tocal College campus buildings are at top left. The black and white inset shows hog island from an aerial photograph in 1958, with the eastern channel still discernable but very narrow.